Coin detector



Apr. 24, 1923'. 1,452,979

F. W. MILLS COIN DETECTOR Filed Sept. 15 1920 Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES FRANK W. hIILLS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COIN DETECTOR.

Application filed September 15, 1920. Serial No. 410,512.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W..MILLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at 48 N. Kedzie Avenue, Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coin Detectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coin detectors and is fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevatlon of the coin detector mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an elevation looking at the left hand edge of Fig. 1'

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the member having coin slots;

Fig. 4 is a similar vlew of the cover for the same; I

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the line 5 of Fi 1; and,

Fig. 6 is a detail ShOWlIlg an edge of the spring.

In the embodiment illustrated, the coin detector mechanism is mounted on the board 10 which forms one side of the box on which the coin detector is employed. It comprises a bottom member 11, havlng ears 12 and 13 through which pass screws 14 and 15 b which it is secured to the board 10. curved slot 16 is formed in the bottom mem ber 11, the bottom of the slot being uniformly smooth.

The cover 17 overlies the bottom member 10 and covers the greater part of the slot 16. A lever 18 is pivotally mounted on the screw 15 so as to be readily movable thereon. It is pivotally connected to the actuating member 19 which has a vertical slot 20 whereby it is slidable on the screw 21, the latter being secured to the board 10. A spring 22 normally holds these parts in the positlon shown.

' The lever 18 carries a pin 23 which is movable in the arcuate slot 24 and 25 in the bottom member 11 and the cover 17 respectively. The cover 17 also has a member 26 secured thereto by screws 27, havlng fingers 28 and 29 which overlie the slot 16 and extend substantially parallel thereto. The upper finger 28 has a rounded depression 28 and the finger 29 has an elongated depression 29 as shown in Fig. 6. A lever 30 1s hingedly mounted on the screw 31 and carries two fingers 32 and 33 which project into the side of the slot 16 as shown in Fig. 1. The spring 34 normally holds these fingers in operative position. The detent 35 is hingedly mounted under the screw 14 and projects into the same side of the slot and is held therein by means of the spring 36. Openings 37 and 38 through the bottom of the slot 16 and the board 10 respectively, are provided with a glass insert 39 and enable an observer to see the last coin inserted as will be later explained. The upper end of the slot 16 is provided with a member 40 secured to the board 10 by means of screws 41, and havin an opening 42 through which the coin may e inserted.

The method of operation is as follows: The coin is inserted through the opening 42, drops down the curved slot 16 to the position A where it rests against the detent 35. The operator then presses down on the actuating member 19, causing the lever 18 and the finger 23 to move downwardly until the latter engages the coin A and forces it down. As it moves down the detent 35 is forced back against the action of the spring 36 and the coin moves to the position B where 1t 1s again stopped by the finger 32. The next coin is then inserted and follows to the position A where it is pressed down as previousl described by means of the finger 23. hen the coin is in the position B, the elongated depression 29 bears upon it holding it flat against the back of the slot. As the coin A is forced down it passes under the rounded depression 28 on the spring finger 28, thereby pressing it against the back of the slot 16 and insuring that it will meet the coin B in ed e to edge relation, so that there will be no danger of the edge of one coin passing the other and becoming wedged in the slot. As the coin A is moved to the position B the coin B is forced past the finger 32 and falls to the position C, where it is again stopped by the detent 33. It will thus be seen that the last coin used in operating the machine falls immediately in front of the window 38 where it may readily be seen. If, therefore, a slug or a coin other than the one intended to operate the machine is used, it will be apparent.

While I have shown and described but a single embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction. and arrangement may he made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appendcd claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible in view of the prior arta What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a coin-operated machine, a guide having a slot thru which the coins are caused to pass, said slot having a smooth plane side, detcnts for stopping coins at definite points in said slot, and a plurality of spring-pressed fingers having free ends overlying said slot, one of said fingers having an elongated bearing surface running lengthwise of the slot, said fingers being adapted to engage the coin in front of the second detent and the coin immediately preceding to press them against the back of the slot.

2. In acoin-operated machine, a guide having a slot thru which the coins are caused to pass, said slot having a smooth plane side, detents for stopping coins at definite points in said slot, a plurality of spring-pressed fingers having free ends overl ing said slot, one of said fingers having an e ongated bearing surface running lengthwise of the slot and adapted to engage the coin in front of the second detent and .press it against the back of the slot, and a finger having an end adapted to overlie the coin above the first mentioned coin and to press the advancing edge thereof against the back of the slot.

FRANn; W. MILLS. 

